The study was conducted at Visakhapatnam district of Andhra Pradesh on FLD in blackgram by Scientists of district Agricultural Advisory and Transfer of Technology Centre of ANGRAU. Blackgram crop was sown as rice fallow in Rabi season during 2018-19 and 2019-20 in an area of 4229 ha and 4950 ha also it was found in an increase in yield of 32.7 per cent and 47.3 per cent in FLD field, respectively. Thus, it was concluded that front line demonstrations conducted under the close supervision of scientists is one of the most important tools of extension to demonstrate crop management practices at farmers’ field. FLDs motivate farmers to adopt scientific practices. So, FLDs are to be designed, supervised with extension activities viz., training programmes, demonstration, field days etc. to increase yields and profits of farmers.
Agriculture is slowly becoming digital. The adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) both in terms of agricultural products and in-field farming techniques are increasing. Artificial Intelligence in agriculture is emerging in three major areas, namely agricultural robotics, soil and crop monitoring and predictive analytics. The use of sensors and soil sampling techniques are increasing day by day which helps in gathering of data. In turn, this data is stored in farm management system which is better processed and analysed. Thus, the data available along with other related data paves a way to successfully deploy AI in agriculture. AI in agriculture is emergingin cognitive computing and it has all the scope to become the most disruptive technology in agriculture services as it is able to understand, learn and respond to different situations (based on learning) to increase efficiency. The areas where the use of cognitive solutions can benefit agriculture are growth driven by IOT, image-based insight generation, identification of optimal mix for agronomic products, health monitoring of crops and automation techniques in irrigation and enabling farmers. In addition, the drone based solutions have significant impact in terms of productivity gains, coping with adverse weather conditions, yield management and precision farming.The emergence of new age technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI), Cloud Machine Learning, Satellite Imagery and advanced analytics are creating an ecosystem for smart farming. Fusion of all this technology is enabling farmers achieve higher average yield and better price control.
A self-help group (SHG) is a voluntarily association of people with common goal. The concept of “self-help groups appears to be a good substitute strategy to involve people in the improvement process. Empowerment of women through self-help groups has benefited not only the individual women but also her family and community as a whole. The study was carried out in the Jorhat district of Assam. Four blocks were selected from national rural livelihood mission (NRLM) initiative blocks. Thus, all total 16 self-help groups were selected from these blocks for the present study. Ten members from 16 SHG’s, total 160 members were selected using simple random sampling for the study. Majority of 54.4 per cent of the members belonged to young aged category i.e. 27 – 39 years. A large majority ( 95.00 % ) of the respondents were married and 37.50 per cent of the respondents had education upto high school level. A majority of the respondents (56.30 %) belonged to the OBC category, 68.10 per cent belonged to nuclear family and 62.50 per cent belonged to small family size. Majority of the respondents ( 48.8 % ) were marginal i.e. having 3 – 7.5 bigha of land holdings. Majority of the respondent’s family occupation (41.70 %) was cultivation and 56.30 per cent had medium income level and 91.00 per cent were member of one organization. Majority of the respondents (91.25 %) possessed television and 40.00 per cent attended training programme during the year 2017, 91.87 per cent source of information were extension officers, 88.75 per cent had contact with community resource person. A high percentage ( 62.50 %) of members of self-help group were completely dependent on bank namely Gramin Vikash Bank for their entrepreneurship development.
The present study was conducted in Amravati district of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra state. The study “Awareness of members about functioning of self-help group” was conducted in Nandgaon Khandeshwar and Bhatkuli talukas of Amravati district, from this talukas ten villages selected and from each village fifteen respondents were selected on the basis of Agriculture based self-help group, 150 respondents were purposively selected for study. Exploratory research design was used for the research study. It was noticed that, half of the respondents i.e. 58.67 per cent were in middle age group, 43.33 per cent respondents were educated upto junior college level, half 51.33 per cent of the respondents were having agriculture as a occupation, majority 64.00 per cent of the respondents had medium family size, majority 60.00 per cent of the respondents had medium family income, majority 68.67 per cent of the respondents had low experience in SHG, half 51.33 per cent of the respondents had low training received, majority 64.67 per cent of the respondents had medium extension contact, majority of the respondents i.e. 74.67 per cent had medium social participation and majority of the respondents i.e. 68.67 per cent were having medium achievement motivation. In the case of awareness about functioning of self-help group 80.00 per cent respondents having high level of awareness. The independent variables namely education, family size, extension contact and achievement motivation are positively significant with awareness about the functions of self-help group at 0.01 level of probability. Whereas the variables namely family income and training received are positively significant with awareness about the functions of self-help group at 0.05 level of probability. The variables namely family occupation and social participation are non-significantly correlated with awareness about the functions of self-help group. Whereas the variables namely age and experience in SHG are negatively significant with awareness about the functions of self-help group.
The study was conducted in Vijayapur and Bagalkote districts of Northern Karnataka, India in 2019-20, which comes under non-traditional areas ofsericulture. The sample size selected was 120 and it was reported that cent per cent of the farmers reported low price and transportation to the distant markets asthe major problems. More than 90.00 per cent of the farmers faced the difficulties in controlling uji flies and other diseases, high labour charges, high initial establishment cost and lack of information about bio-fertilizers. Keeping these constraints into consideration the suitable policy had been framed by the the government. Added to that the most suited situational extension strategies have been implemented which helped to improve sericulture status.
Study on Impact of COVID-19 lockdown on agriculture and allied sector, best emerging practices in production, processing, value addition and marketing and initiatives of Krishi Vigyan Kendra to update farmer in these circumstances was carried out by KVK in the district The data on impact of COVID-19 on agriculture and allied sector reveals that 50 per cent Rabi crops harvesting delayed due to non-availability of labour and field operations were costilier 34 per cent farmers faced problem of sale of farm produce, turmeric crop harvesting losses upto 75 per cent mostly small and marginal farmers were affected due to lockdown Fruit and vegetable growers has to succumb 85 per cent losses during sale, storage and marketing due to district boundaries blocking Marketing problem has shown the another way of direct marketing through personal contact or use social media group Similarly due to lockdown best agriculture practices has emerged in the field of production, processing, marketing and supply chain management 30 per cent losses in dairy and 87 per cent losses in poultry farming enterprise has been indicated in the study
North Pulinpur with GPS location 23°52.836¹N, 91°35.275¹E and elevation 47m is one of the draught prone tribal inhabited ADC village of the district Khowai under the state Tripura.The total geographical area of the village is 950 hectare with cultivable area of about 250 hectare only among 806 farm families.So, most of the families are holding either small or marginal farms.There was no perennial streams, rivers, ponds and other irrigation facilities in the village.Prevailing temperature ranges from 16°C to 37°C.Annual rainfall ranges from 2050 to 2550 mm, but almost whole amount goes out to neighboring lower elevated village.Agriculture is the mainstay of the people, about 85 per cent of them engage in agriculture and its allied activities.Farmers earned their livelihood from rainfed rice based monocropped cultivation.Moisture stress during Kharif dry spell and winter season which lead to rice based mono-cropping system.Under the National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture(NICRA) Project KVK,Khowai has constructed and rejuvenated 22 water bodies from 2011-12 to 2018-19 at North Pulinpur ADC village; all of which provided life saving irrigation for paddy during Kharif dry spell as well as during Rabi season through nano pumps installed nearby farm ponds.Before implementation of NICRA project to North Pulinpur ADC village, most of the areas remain dry during Rabi season.After the intervention, approximately 26187 ft 3 rainwater had been harvested covering an area of about 135.0 ha. for winter vegetables and Rabi maize cultivation and during dry period.In addition to this, a total area of about 1 ha waste land had been converted to paddy land using water from community bund.Ponds were also used for composite fish culture with average yield of 30 q/ farmer/year/ha during 2018-19.
Various technologies have been developed by the scientists working in College of Home Sciences operational under agricultural universities for alleviating drudgery, increasing efficiency and technological empowerment of rural women in the areas like health, nutrition, sanitation, child rearing, resource management, clothing and textile and entrepreneurship.It is very much necessary to disseminate these technologies and make them to adopt by rural women.Present study was conducted in CCSHAU, Hisar and data was collected from total of 50 students who were already completed their IAHS Programmes of I.C.College of Home Science.Questionnaire were prepared regarding attitude was used to collect the data.Results revealed that majority (56.00%) of the respondents were agreed with the IAHS has helped to get familiar with rural people and 61.00 per cent of the respondents were strongly agreed with the IAHS has helped to understand village situations.Result also showed that cent per cent respondents were strongly agreed with the statement 'there is a need to develop more technologies that are purely meant for women' and 'the University should develop more low-cost household technologies'.By seeing other people living nearby their places adopting new thing, rural women should try to start these things for better life and to improve the condition of their living.
This study was conducted for estimation of marketing cost, marketing margin and price spread through different marketing channels of Bt cotton in Bharuch district of South Gujarat region. Two major marketing channels were identified for the Bt cotton i.e., Channel-I: Producer CCI (Cotton Corporation of India) and Channel-II: Producer Commission Agent Ginner Consumer. The producer could secure about 88.24 and 83.00 per cent of consumer’s rupee in channel-I and channel-II of Bharuch district, respectively. Thus, the channel-I in Bharuch district was found to be more efficient as compared to other channels. The major problems faced by the farmers in production of Bt cotton found that, non-availability of agricultural labour during peak seasons, lack of availability of recommended plant protection chemicals, high incidence of attack from bollworms, non-availability of quality seeds of Bt cotton in time, lack of availability and high cost of recommended fertilizers, growth of weeds, lack of irrigation facilities.
The study was conducted to analyse the extent of adoption of ANGRAU technologies of paddy crop in Kadapa district of Andhra Pradesh. Mainly six mandals were selected based on the paddy growing areas. From six mandals 12 villages were selected and from each village 5 farmers were selected randomly. Total sample size for the study was 60 farmers. The results revealed that the varieties adopted by most of the paddy growing farmers (41.67%) adopted NDLR-7 and majority (83.33%) of the farmers discontinued variety BPT-5204. The recommendations with regard to crop production technologies applying well decomposed FYM/Compost @200kg/5cents nursery there is 100 per cent adoption by the farmers. With respect to weed management aspects application of pretilachlor @500ml/ acre or oxadiargyl @35-40g/acre within 3 to 5 days of transplanting recorded 81.67 per cent adoption by the farmers. In case of plant protection measures for BPH pest, spray acephate @1.g or monocrotophos @2.2ml or ethofenprox@2ml or thiamethoxam@0.25g or buprofezin 1.6ml or pymetrozine 0.6g or imidacloprid+ethiprole 0.2g or dinotefuron 0.4g/l there is 80 per cent adoption by the farmers.
The study was taken up in University Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad (UAS-D), UAS-D offered PG programme in 24 disciplines and Ph.D programme in 17 disciplines, among them 10 disciplines were selected. The sample size was 50 students consisting 30 post graduates and 20 doctoral programme students using Simple Random Sampling technique. Five students were selected from each of the 10 selected departments using simple random sampling technique. Percentage analysis was used for data analysis. About two-third of the students referred online journals for their purpose of assignment, seminar and research. Majority of the students faced the problems like getting user name, password, long time to download an article, read only content and limited availability of online journals are the major difficulties faced in access and usage of online journals. These problems could be addressed to enhance the learning of online journals among the students of UAS-D.
Farming systems approach introduces a change in farming techniques for attaining food and nutritional security and for maximizing farm income through optimal utilization of resources by a judicious mix of allied enterprises like dairy, small ruminants like goat and sheep, poultry, piggery, fishery, sericulture etc., with crops suitable for the existing agro-climatic conditions and socio-economic status of the farmers. On farm research was conducted in 36 small tribal farmers fields o in high altitude and tribal area of Srikakulam district of Andhra Pradesh state in East Coast Plain and Hills Agro-climatic zone East coast plains, hot, sub humid to semi arid eco region (S7 Cd 2-5). Agro-ecological region with 915 mm rainfall distribution in 55 rainy days. By diversification in all enterprises farmers realized Rs. 83,630, 96,830, 1,04,720 and 1,12,960 gross returns and Rs.57435, 68600, 65080 and 81240 net returns was than the bench mark Rs. 53110 and Rs. 35430 at the additional cost of interventions of Rs. 8515 than the bench mark cost of cultivation Rs. 17680 in 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16, respectively. Net returns are getting doubled from the third year of interventions onwards. The increase income is attributed to increase in income from intervention in paddy crop and cashew crop, introduction of YMV tolerant green gram variety, feeding of supplement feed to the cattle and also the introduction of Vanaraja and Rajshri back yard poultry birds. In addition to this not only due to diversification of existing enterprises, but also introduction of Azolla and nutritional kithen garden, helped the farmer nutritional food, besides reduction in cost of maintenance helped in increase in net returns recorded. By introduction of interventions the cost of cultivation is increased by 63.73 per cent with increase of gross returns by 87.42 per cent and net returns of 99.23 per cent with 13.33 per cent increase in B:C ratio was observed. The area share was allocated 44 per cent to crops, 43 per cent horticultural crops, 1-2 per cent area for other components, these various components the net income was maximum in livestock (44.93%), closely followed by horticulture (37.93 %) and crops (16.14%). Additionally 54 man days were created on an average during four years of introduction of IFS approach due to diversification of enterprises and introduction of few enterprise.
Identification of constraints and providing timely suggestions are important for sesame farmers in Kerala as the state has been witnessing a declining trend of the crop production. The study is concerned with the constraints faced by sesame growing farmers in Kerala. A field survey was conducted in three districts of Kerala viz., Alappuzha Kollam and Thrissur. Respondents included 30 farmers from each district. Garrett Ranking technique was used to rank the constraints faced in sesame production. As per the survey, high labour cost, excessive rain, drought, weed infestation, labour unavailability, pest and diseases, marketing problem, transportation, drying and threshing problem and storage problem were the constraints identified in the decreasing order of rank. Suggestions and methods to overcome the constraints were also provided.
The present study is undertaken to study the economics analysis of onion seed production in washim district of Vidarbha.The study was based on primary data. Primary data of 90 farmers pertaining to the year 2018-2019 were collected from three villages and functionaries involved in onion seed procurement chain producer, seed company, retailer were selected for collecting information. The onion seed production is taken on small scale but it contributes sizable share in total earning of the cultivator. However, yield and profit from onion seed cultivation is uncertain because it is very sensitive, it require special attention. To study the economics of onion seed production, the standard cost concepts were used. In estimation of cost of cultivation, seed, rental value of land, human labour and interest on fixed capital were the major cost items.The gross cropped area was highest in large group i.e. 8.28 hectare followed by medium 5.27 ha and small group 2.93. The cropping pattern of onion seed was dominated by soybean, cotton and tur in Kharif season whereas gram and wheat was Rabi season. In Rabi season the contribution of area under onion seed was 12.62, 12.52 and 12.31 per cent by small, medium and large farmers. Per hectare total cost of cultivation of onion seed was highest in the medium group i.e. Rs. 167967.3 per hectare followed by large group Rs. 166102.74 and small group Rs.165161.53.The benefit cost ratio of onion seed at cost ‘C3’ was 1.70 in small group, 1.76 in medium group and 1.78 in large group.
Small and fragmented land holdings do not allow a farmer to keep independent farm resources like draught animals, tractors, bore wells/ tube wells and other sophisticated machineries for various cultural operations. Further, most of the inputs have become costly and out of reach of these resource poor farmers which has resulted farming as an uneconomic and unsustainable enterprise. To fulfil the basic needs of household including food (cereal, pulses, oilseeds, milk, fruit, honey, fish meat, etc.) for human, feed and fodder for animals and fuel and fibre for general use warrant an attention about integrated farming system. The emergence of integrated farming systems (IFS) has enabled us to develop a framework for an alternative development model to improve the feasibility of small sized farming operations in relation to larger ones. Integrated farming system is a commonly and broadly used word to explain a more integrated approach to farming as compared to monoculture approaches. AICRP-IFS, Seethampeta, ANGRAU centre implemented on farm research on “on-farm evaluation of farming system modules for improving profitability and livelihood of small and marginal farmers” with financial and technical assistance from Indian Institute of Farming System Research, Modipuram in 12 small and marginal tribal farmers’ households in Seetampeta mandal of Srikkakulam district of Andhra Pradesh objectives of to address critical constraints of small and marginal farm holders for overall improvement of productivity and to increase the profitability of small and marginal households and ensure livelihood. By diversification in all enterprises farmers realized Rs. 62755, 65387, 82235 and 88967 gross returns and Rs.32125, 34117, 47075and 49747 net returns was more than the bench mark Rs.46720, 47856, 58240 and Rs. 62376 with the additional interventions costs of Rs.3770 in 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15 and 2015-16, respectively. Further, with integration of enterprises viz., Crops+Poultry, Crops+Dairy and Crops+Poultry+Dairy farmers realized Rs. 65387, 82235and 88967 gross returns and Rs.34117, 47075 and 49747 net returns when compared to crops only i.e., Rs. 62755 and Rs.32125, respectively. The increase income is attributed to increase in income from intervention in paddy crop and ragi crop, feeding of supplement feed to the cattle and also the introduction of Vanaraja and Rajshri back yard poultry birds. In addition to this not only due to diversification of existing enterprises, but also addition of enterprises in farming system modules. Gross income in all farming systems increased when compared to cropping system only. Gross income increased in crop – poultry farming system due to different modules from Rs. 47856/house hold to Rs. 65387/house hold with B: C ratio 2.09 and Gross income increased in crop – dairy farming system due to different modules from Rs. 58240/house hold to Rs. 85235/house hold with B: C ratio 2.23. Gross income increased in crop – dairy -poultry farming system due to different modules from Rs. 62376/house hold to Rs. 88967 /house hold with B: C ratio 2.26.
The present study was conducted in Palakkad district of Kerala state with an objective to study the constraints faced by banana growers in adoption of banana production technology and obtained their suggestions to overcome these constraints.The data were collected with the help of interview schedule.Keeping the above in view, a research study was designed to study the constraints faced by banana growers in Palakkad district of Kerala.An ex-post facto research design was followed to conduct the study with a total of 120 banana growers selected from three blocks named Attapady, Mannarkkad and Sreekrishnapuram.The data was collected through pre-tested interview schedule, which was subjected for individual responding and interpreted.Bio physical constraints, technological constraints, socio personal constraints, economic constraints, administrative constraints and marketing constraints faced by the banana growers were found and presented in order of their importance.
The present investigation was conducted in Parbhani, Hingoli and Nanded districts in Marathwada region of Maharashtra State. A structured interview schedule was used to collect data from 150 respondents who were viewing agricultural programmes on TV, as well as listening agricultural programmes on radio and also reading agricultural articles in the newspaper. The qualitative data were quantified using suitable statistical tools. The suggestions given by the farm women to increase the utility of mass media was studied by frequency and percentage method. Regarding suggestions to improve farm telecast majority of the respondents suggested to change the telecasting time (56.66 %) and to use local language (52.66%). Regarding suggestions to improve farm broadcast, respondents suggested to use simple language (59.33%) and provide useful information timely (50.67%). Regarding suggestions to improve utility of newspaper, respondents suggested that information should be given in easy language (60.00%), case studies of experienced farm women should be published in the newspaper (54.66%), information should be practicable (52.66%), letters must be bold enough (51.33%) and statistics of the nation, state and region should be avoided (46.00%).
Fusarium wilt disease caused by Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. cubense (Foc) is one of the most important diseases that affects the banana production which leads to huge economic loss. Thus, to avoid yield loss and manage the disease on time, morphological and cultural characterization of the pathogen is essential as a preliminary identification step. Thirty isolates were collected from different banana growing regions of Kerala. The isolates were grown on half strength PDA medium. The isolates showed extreme variations in their cultural and morphological characters. Most of the isolates produced white coloured aerial mycelium and few of them were greyish white with white to pink pigmentation. Colony diameter ranged from 59.6 to 90.0 mm at seven days after incubation at 25ºC. The mycelial growth rate varied from 0.83 cm/day to 2.40 cm/day. Length and breadth of macroconidia ranged from 15.01 to 20.20 μm and 2.14 to 5.07 μm whereas, it ranged from 4.49 to 7.42 μm and 1.35 to 3.13 μm for microconidia. The diameter of chlamydospores varied from 5.68 to 9.58 μm. Whereas, the inter septal length and breadth of hyphae varied from 16.14 μm to 22.94 μm and 4.22 μm to 6.57 μm. The cluster analysis based on the quantitative parameters classified the isolates based on variety and genome of the host plants. All the isolates from Rasthali/Poovan (AAB) and Njalipoovan (AB) belonged to the cluster A1 whereas the isolates from Kadali and Chenkadali varieties of banana formed the cluster A2. While, the clustering based on qualitative parameters was irrespective of the variety or genome of the host plant.
